Cablegate: Ankara Media Reaction Report,

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

201450Z Aug 04

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 004742

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EUR/SE, EUR/PD, NEA/PD, DRL
JCS PASS J-5/CDR S. WRIGHT

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR TU
SUBJECT: ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT,
FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2004

THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE
THEMES:

HEADLINES
BRIEFING
EDITORIAL OPINION
--------------------------------------------- -----
HEADLINES

MASS APPEAL
Judiciary was Bribed in Cakici case - Hurriyet
Sadr Rejects Allawi's Ultimatum - Hurriyet
Turkey to Sign Customs Agreement with Greek Cyprus -
Hurriyet
Telephone Taps Record Judiciary-Mafia Link - Sabah
Condoleeza Rice: "US Using Non-Military Methods to Eliminate
PKK" - Sabah
Cakici Supplied Materials for Villa of Court Chairman -
Milliyet
Al-Sadr Threatens US - Turkiye

OPINION MAKERS
US Planes Bomb Najaf - Cumhuriyet
Washington Insists on Incirlik - Cumhuriyet
Iran Threatens the US - Cumhuriyet
Appeals Court Chairman Accused of Tipping off Cakici -
Radikal
Al-Sadr Rejects Cease-Fire Offer - Yeni Safak

BRIEFING

Fighting Continues in Najaf: Fierce fighting erupted in
Najaf after the Shiite leader Al-Sadr defied Iraqi
Government orders to end the uprising and surrender. After
al-Sadr's refusal to vacate the holy shrine with his men, US
aircrafts and tanks reportedly opened fire in the vicinity
of the shrine. Morning news reports suggest that Al-Sadr
may have ordered his fighters to evacuate the holy site.

Captors Threaten to Kill Turkish Hostage: A terrorist group
holding a Turkish worker in Iraq threatened to kill their
hostage within tree days unless his company agreed to end
its activities in Iraq. Several papers report that the
hostage's employer, the Turkish firm Tepe, announced last
night that it would pull out of Iraq.

Rice Comments on the PKK: Several papers report comments by
National Security Advisor Condolleezza Rice in response to a
question in Washington concerning the PKK. Rice reportedly
said that the US is working with Turkey on all possible
methods, short of a military operation, for dealing with the
PKK threat from Iraq. She noted that the US regards the PKK
as a terrorist organization.

Judiciary-Mafia Link: "Hurriyet" reports that records from
phone taps show that Mafia leader Alaatin Cakici bribed
judicial officials in order to turn the Court of Appeals
ruling in his favor. "Radikal" reports that the chairman
of the Court of Appeals warned Cakici about his likely
arrest, thereby giving him a chance to flee the country.
"Milliyet" draws attention to the fact that building
materials used in the reconstruction of Eraslan Ozkaya's
villa were supplied by Cakici's right-hand man, Hakki Suha
Sen. Cakici had allegedly instructed Sen not to accept any
payment from the chairman for the reconstruction. "Sabah"
reports that Ozkaya continues to deny any connection with
Cakici, and many are now looking to President Sezer to
intervene in order to save the reputation of the judiciary.

Washington to Present Turkey With New Proposals for
Incirlik: "Cumhuriyet" reports that the Pentagon is working
on new proposals for Incirlik Air base. Turkey had rejected
a US request for the deployment of two F-16 fleets in
Incirlik. The US had sought flexibility in the use of the F-
16s to counter possible threats in the region. The paper
claims that Washington is working on a proposal that would
be more acceptable to Ankara. Diplomatic sources say the
new offer is expected before autumn. "Cumhuriyet"
speculates that possible proposals include a request for
permission to allow U-2 planes to fly over Turkish
territory, and the deployment of long-range helicopters and
two divisions of US ground troops at Incirlik.

2 Americans Fined for Missionary Activities: "Milliyet"
reports that four foreigners, including two Americans, were
detained in Nigde (near the tourist region of Cappadocia)
for distributing religious materials to local citizens. The
suspects were fined 111 million Turkish lira (approximately
75 USD) each before being released.

Cyprus: "Hurriyet" cites a Greek Cypriot press report that
Turkey has agreed to extend its customs union agreement with
the European Union to Greek Cyprus and that the agreement
will be signed this fall. `TRNC Prime Minister' Mehmet Ali
Talat characterized Turkey's signing of a customs union
agreement with Cyprus as `inevitable.'

EDITORIAL OPINION: Iraq; Cyprus

"Regarding Iraq, the Address for Turkey is Washington is not
Baghdad"
Zafer Atay wrote in the political-economic "Dunya" (8/20):
"The visit of Iraqi interim President Al-Yawar to Ankara
failed to meet Ankara's high hopes on issues like the fight
against the PKK in northern Iraq, the status of Kirkuk, the
Turkomen problem, and the oil-for-exports trade deal. The
visit ended with zero gain for Ankara. We found an Iraqi
figure ready to our requests and proposals, but one who
refrained from making any commitments. ... In order to
understand the reality, we should first look at the status
of Iraq. Despite the `transfer of sovereignty,' Iraq is
still under occupation. The US still has the full control
over political and military authority in the country. Thus
Turkey's requests should be addressed to Washington, not to
the Iraqi administration. Washington now has enough trouble
in Iraq, and has neither the time nor the enthusiasm to
listen to our requests. Moreover, it is not in the US
interest to meet Turkish demands. The Bush administration
is trying to arrange a three-way federation system in Iraq -
- Kurds in the north, Sunnis in the Baghdad area, and
Shiites in the south. Washington does not want to see
Ankara in this picture, knowing that Turkey is against this
American plan for Iraq's future."

"The Embargo Against Turkish Cypriots"
Sami Kohen wrote in the mass appeal Milliyet (8/20):
"Turkish officials continue to hope that the EU will
eventually keep its promise and lift the embargo against
Turkish Cypriots. If that does not happen, Ankara will be
very disappointed and will be forced to come up with new
steps based on a new reality. Such a situation would all but
end hopes for a comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus
issue, and would likely lead to a tougher stance within the
Turkish Cypriot administration and the Turkish Cypriot
community. ... If the Greek Cypriot side does not change its
current approach, and if the EU acts together with the Greek
side, the Turkish Cypriots will be less inclined toward a
unified Cyprus and move back to the idea of integration with
Turkey idea. The Greek Cypriot administration must see this
reality if it is really concerned about the divided status
of the island. This goes for the EU, the US and the United
Nations as well."

EDELMAN

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